1. Aidan Hutchinson, edge, Michigan (6-6, 261)
It’s understandable why some might balk at the thought of Hutchinson going No. 1. He’s not Myles Garrett or Chase Young and probably wouldn’t have been a top-10 pick in last year’s draft. But that is the reality of this draft class. Although he doesn’t have the same bend or arc skills as the Bosa brothers, Hutchinson wins with similar quickness, power and skilled hand play to be productive as both a pass rusher and run defender. His arms are going to measure much shorter than many would expect, but he is scheme-proof and should be a consistent double-digit sack producer over his career.
2. Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State (6-4, 322)
I received mixed reactions (from both fans and evaluators around the league) to my mock draft 2.0 that had Ekwonu at No. 1 overall. Some believe the Jaguars go pass rusher or Alabama’s Evan Neal, but several others agreed with the possibility of “Ickey” at No. 1 because he is one of the best players in the draft. Although his game needs refinement, especially with his over-setting, Ekwonu is nimble, powerful and should only continue to get better as his technique and awareness mature.
3. Evan Neal, OT, Alabama (6-7, 357)
A smooth athlete for a massive blocker, Neal bends well in pass protection and continues to rework his feet into position, using controlled hand exchange to keep rushers contained. In the run game, he has strong hands and does well at initial contact as a drive blocker, but his balance and sustain skills start to fade as the play progresses. Neal lacks elite lateral agility and needs to clean up his leaning, but he is an effective blocker due to his rare mix of size, athleticism, and flexibility, also offering legitimate position versatility.
4. Kayvon Thibodeaux, edge, Oregon (6-4, 255)
Talking with evaluators around the league, the feedback on Thibodeaux is a lot of “He’s really talented, but …” reactions. He is not universally loved — for a variety of reasons — but most still believe he fits somewhere into the top seven picks. Although not on the same level as past pass rushers who were drafted this early, Thibodeaux understands how to create leverage as a pass rusher with his length, flexibility, and agility.
5. Kyle Hamilton, DS, Notre Dame (6-3, 218)
A long, supersized safety, Hamilton has the explosive range, smarts and toughness to be deployed anywhere on the football field. He anticipates well vs. both the pass and the run and shows the ball skills and tackling balance to be a consistent finisher. Hopefully he lands in a defensive scheme that understands how to best maximize his talent because Hamilton can be a diverse matchup weapon thanks to to his rare skill set.
6. Travon Walker, edge, Georgia (6-5, 275)
I know I’m higher on Walker than most, but I’m okay with that — I’m betting on his rare traits. He has impressive movement skills for a 275-pounder, including an explosive first step to shoot through gaps, cross the face of blockers or chase down plays. He wasn’t asked to be a consistent outside rusher in the Bulldogs’ scheme, but that helped him develop into a strong run defender, disengaging and leveraging blocks. Walker is still developing his sequencing plan as a pass rusher, but he has freaky athletic traits for his size and offers the natural power and length to consistently win his matchups. He projects as a scheme-diverse end with the ceiling to be one of the best NFL defenders from this draft class.
7. Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah (6-3, 232)
A do-everything, four-down linebacker, Lloyd plays with speed and suddenness in his movements to weave through traffic in pursuit or change directions and make plays in coverage. He has room to improve his play strength and posture as a take-on player, but he does a great job scraping and sifting with his slippery athleticism and length to make plays at the line of scrimmage. Lloyd is a better version of the Chargers’ Kenneth Murray when he was coming out of Oklahoma.
8. Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State (6-5, 305)
Opinions are split on Cross around the league. Some believe he belongs in the top half of round one, but others see another Andre Dillard and aren’t completely sold. He doesn’t have ideal power, but Cross is outstanding in pass protection, and that is the basis for his high grade. He processes things quickly and shows outstanding hand exchange and movement patterns to frustrate pass rushers. With Cross, I see a future starter with Pro Bowl potential.
9. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU (6-1, 195)
The ultimate enigma in the 2022 draft class. If you swapped Stingley’s 2019 and 2021 seasons, he would probably be the unquestioned first pick in this draft. But he is a tough player to figure out because the past two seasons weren’t anything like his All-American freshman year. The main issue has been health, but is that something teams should expect to follow him to the NFL? The combine (medicals and interviews) will be a monumental step for Stingley as teams prepare to put a final grade on him.
10. Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati (6-2, 190)
Another prospect with mixed feedback from NFL teams, Gardner put together an impressive three-year career for the Bearcats with nine interceptions and zero touchdowns allowed on his watch. You have to hunt for targets on his 2021 film because he was rarely challenged. He needs to improve his poise downfield, but he is a sticky bump-and-run corner with the athletic instincts to make plays. Cincinnati hasn’t produced a first round pick since 1971, but that should change soon.
11. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State (6-0, 186)
With his ability to get open before and after the catch, Wilson is the type of receiver that makes the playbook come alive. Despite his average size, he makes unbelievable adjustments on the football and is comfortable with bodies around him. With his slender frame, elite body control and catch point skills, Wilson reminds me of CeeDee Lamb.
12. Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington (5-11, 195)
McDuffie shut down opposing receivers on his 2021 tape and is very well-liked among NFL scouts. There are a few things working against him — he has ordinary size and ball production (10 passes defended and two interceptions in 28 games played). But McDuffie is a composed, springy athlete (will jump somewhere in the low 40-inches in the vertical) with the cover awareness to be a long-time NFL cover man.
13. Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas (6-3, 232)
With his vision and acceleration, Burks has the skills to turn quick-hitters into big plays, breaking tackles with his balance, body strength and competitive toughness (led the SEC with 22 plays of 20-plus yards in 2021). He can also track the football downfield with his large catch radius, although his separation skills are mitigated by his undeveloped rhythm as a route runner. As long as he stays healthy, Burks has the skills to grow into an NFL team’s No. 1 receiver with some similarities to a linebacker-sized version of Deebo Samuel.
14. David Ojabo, edge, Michigan (6-5, 255)
An athletic rusher with a long, nimble frame, Ojabo has the balanced feet and hip flexibility developed from years of basketball and soccer training to work tight spaces and grease the edge as a pass rusher. His defensive role shouldn’t be restricted to only rushing the passer, but he needs to improve his functional strength and body positioning to make plays in the run game. Ojabo is admittedly “still learning” various aspects of football, but he is naturally explosive with the upfield burst and stride length to overwhelm tackles with arc speed. He projects as a subpackage rusher as a rookie with Pro Bowl potential down the road.
15. Jermaine Johnson, edge, Florida State (6-4, 259)
Johnson went to Mobile as the top defensive player on the roster and left the same way, dominating throughout the week. The Georgia transfer bet on himself and became the alpha of the Seminoles’ defensive line in 2021, leading the ACC in tackles for loss (18.0) and sacks (12.0). Johnson has the length, agility and active hands that lead to disruption as both a pass rusher and run defender and projects as an every-down NFL starter.
16. Drake London, WR, USC (6-5, 212)
The ultimate respect for a wide receiver is when everyone knows the ball is going to him yet the defense can’t stop it, and that sums up London’s junior season (averaged 15 targets per game). That season also was his first in his life as a football-only athlete. His basketball background is evident with his elite highpointing skills to play through contact and thrive above the rim.
17. Tyler Linderbaum, OC, Iowa (6-3, 292)
A six-sport athlete in high school, Linderbaum is very quick in his snap-and-step and shows athletic range, body control and refinement as an on-the-move or reach blocker. Although he doesn’t have an ideal body type, his wrestling background is clear with his handwork, leverage and killer instinct to win early or reset mid-rep. Overall, Linderbaum lacks ideal arm length and will struggle at times in pass protection, but he is an elite-level run blocker because of his athleticism and grip strength to latch-and-drive.
18. Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson (6-0, 193)
There is volatility to Booth’s game, which comes with the territory of playing cornerback with an aggressive mindset. He has room to improve his feel for spacing, but Booth plays with three important ingredients to playing the position at a high level: fluid athleticism, the ability to find the football and catch point disruption skills. Plug him into a man-heavy scheme and let him continue to grow.
19. Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa (6-7, 330)
Coming from the FCS level, Penning is still raw in several areas, which was clear during Senior Bowl practices. But tackles with his combination of size, length (almost 35-inch arms), power and athleticism are uncommon. Penning also loves to play pissed off, and his compete skills will translate well to the pro game.
20. Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia (6-0, 225)
After winning the 2018 Butkus Award in high school as the nation’s top linebacker, Dean did the same three years later at Georgia as the 2021 Butkus Award winner. The soul of the Bulldogs’ national championship-winning defense, he doesn’t have ideal size, but his key/read/flow skills and play range are both outstanding. In a lot of ways, Dean projects as Jonathan Vilma 2.0.
21. George Karlaftis, edge, Purdue (6-4, 268)
Born and raised in Athens, Greece, Karlaftis moved to the United States and adopted football as his go-to sport, finishing his college career with 30.5 tackles for loss over 27 games. His hands are not only physical and violent, but they’re well timed and strategic to get the offense off schedule. You wish his arms were longer and he had more twitch in his movements, but Karlaftis has NFL power, effort and hand work to break down the rhythm of blockers.
22. Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama (6-2, 182)
If not for his recent ACL injury, Williams would be about 10 spots higher on this list. Born into a track family, he has elite speed in his routes and with the ball in his hands. And he is more than just speed, tracking the ball well downfield and making easy adjustments on the football. In a downfield passing offense in the NFL, Williams has a chance to be special — as long as his knee makes a full recovery.
23. Daxton Hill, DS, Michigan (6-0, 192)
Arguably the top nickel defender in the draft, Hill can cover wide receivers and tight ends while also providing a thump in the run game and as a blitzer. Although he has the size of a cornerback, he should test off the charts and plays with the toughness of a safety. With his versatile skills, Hill is exactly what several teams are searching for in their secondaries.
24. Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M (6-4, 325)
After starting at right guard as a freshman and left guard as a sophomore, Green was the only returning starter on the Aggies’ offensive line as a junior and was asked to fill in across the line, becoming the only NCAA player with 80-plus snaps at four different offensive line positions in 2021. He must fix the bad habits and penalties at the next level, but Green does a great job staying balanced before and after contact with the mobility and brawling mentality to win his matchups.
25. Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State (6-1, 182)
The Buckeyes’ all-time leader in touchdown catches (35), Olave is a smooth route runner with the deep speed and tracking instincts to consistent win down the field. He has an average body type and doesn’t consistently create after the catch, but he knows how to create spacing and shows a feel for leveraging coverage. Olave is a polished pass catcher with NFL-ready skills.
26. Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College (6-3, 314)
Johnson has a stout, developed body type with the patience and placement to plant and re-leverage himself to stay centered as a pass blocker. In the run game, he shows off his body control and drive strength to execute from various angles. Overall, Johnson will occasionally lose his balance, but his combination of play strength, muscle twitch, and reaction skills help him sustain consistently. He has the talent to carve out a decade-long career as an interior NFL blocker.
27. Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia (6-3, 307)
With his athletic traits, Wyatt can win in different ways off the ball, displaying initial quickness, lateral range and chase down speed. In the run game, he understands how to leverage gaps and find the ball carrier, although I want to see him become a better finisher. Overall, Wyatt needs to play with better control, but he fires off the ball and competes with the speed and effort to make an impact on all three downs.
28. Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia (6-6, 360)
Despite high pad level, Davis is a hard-to-move space eater with the point-of-attack strength to reestablish the line of scrimmage and overwhelm ball carriers as a tackler. He is a talented athlete for a player his size, and his motor expands his tackling range, but he was also helped by fewer defensive snaps in 2021 (25.2 per game) compared to 2020 (32.9). I’m not super high on Davis like others because he is limited as a pass rusher, but he has the size, functional power and block recognition to be a dominant run defender.
29. Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan (6-6, 304)
An Austrian native, Raimann has one of the most unlikely journeys of any prospect in this draft class. He made the transition from tight end to left tackle during the pandemic and blossomed into a first-round caliber player due to his athletic reflexes, natural balance, and stubborn hands. Despite only 18 career games on the offensive line in his life, Raimann should compete for starting reps during his NFL rookie season.
30. Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State (5-11, 175)
Dotson puts defenders in conflict with his twitchy speed to defeat press and manipulate coverages at the stem. Although he is undersized, he has above-average hands and natural body control with maybe the largest catch radius of any sub 5-foot-11 receiver I have ever scouted. Dotson isn’t a tackle-breaker, and his marginal play strength will be more noticeable vs. NFL defenders, but his dynamic speed, route instincts and ball skills make him a difficult player to cover one-on-one.
31. Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh (6-3, 217)
Pickett shows outstanding instincts as a passer with his ability to throw receivers open, keep his eyes on schedule and make quick-reaction decisions. Though his confidence is more of a strength than weakness, he will get greedy at times, forcing throws into tight coverage and writing checks his arm can’t cash. Overall, Pickett has some skittish tendencies, and the hand size (throws with a glove) will be a factor for some teams, but his football IQ, functional mobility and accuracy from various platforms are a special package.
32. Malik Willis, QB, Liberty (6-0, 220)
Although his timing and accuracy go through lulls, Willis has a fluid release, outstanding velocity and a great feel for touch and placement on vertical-based patterns. With his escapability and body strength, the backfield was his playground, but he struggles to recognize pressures and takes too many sacks (No. 1 in the FBS with 51 sacks in 2021). Overall, Willis requires time to mature his anticipation, vision and accuracy, but he has the potential to be a dynamic NFL playmaker due to his natural athleticism, arm talent and intangibles.
33. Logan Hall, edge, Houston (6-6, 278)
Although he played primarily inside in college, Hall has the long levers and foot quickness to be an impactful pass rusher when given a runway off the edge. He has the body flexibility to bend, dip and attack from different angles but must continue to develop his anchor and shed strength, especially when his pad level rises. Hall has some tweener traits and lacks consistency, but with additional coaching, he can be a matchup weapon because of his athletic versatility, body length, and disruptive nature.
34. Arnold Ebiketie, edge, Penn State (6-2, 250)
A Temple transfer, Ebiketie explodes off the edge and stresses blockers with his arc acceleration, active hands and relentless play personality (registered at least one tackle for loss in 11 of 12 games in 2021). Though he uses his length well as a pass rusher, he struggles to consistently anchor, lock out and free himself to contain the run. Ebiketie needs to improve his refinement as a rusher and reliability vs. the run, but he is a long, twitched-up athlete with the motor and mentality to develop into a starting NFL pass rusher.
35. Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss (6-2, 205)
Like a shortstop in baseball or point guard in basketball, Corral is quick in everything he does — from his feet to his eyes to his release. He played in a quarterback-friendly offense and faces a learning curve in the NFL, but he has the athleticism and passing twitch to be a playmaker. When discussing Corral, every scout has mentioned the interview process as the most important step for his draft grade.
36. Jalen Pitre, DS, Baylor (5-11, 196)
Playing the hybrid “Star” position in Dave Aranda’s scheme, Pitre is an exercise of “Where’s Waldo” on tape. From play-to-play, he moved from edge rusher to slot corner to traditional safety, which allowed him to show off his toughness in the run game (18.0 tackles for loss in 2021) and coverage skills. Along with his strong week in Mobile, Pitre is a player trending up.
37. Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina (6-0, 221)
The Howell-to-Baker Mayfield comparisons are going to overused, but with good reason — they make sense. They have similar size, builds and arms, although Howell has more juice as a scrambler. The North Carolina passer didn’t have the 2021 season many expected, but he has all the requisite traits to start games in the NFL.
38. Kingsley Enagbare, edge, South Carolina (6-4, 261)
Enagbare rushes with heavy, skilled hands and forward lean to convert his speed to power and does a nice job with his rush sequencing to set traps for blockers. He is rugged and alert but will need to become more consistent setting the edge in the run game and proving he can kick inside on passing downs. Although he has tightness in his movements and lacks suddenness, Enagbare is efficient and powerful in his attack with the athletic movements to break down blockers.
39. Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida (6-2, 200)
Elam checks boxes for size, strength, physicality and athleticism, mixing it up with receivers and crowding the catch point downfield. He will surrender spacing on stop and comeback routes, which can be masked by coaching and scheme, but slight stiffness in his mirror and transitions will always be there. With his physicality for press-man, he reminds me of Tampa Bay’s Carlton Davis when Davis was coming out of Auburn.
40. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State (5-10, 212)
There is no consensus RB1 in this draft class, but if there is a running back who might be considered in the first round, it should be Walker. With his vision and contact balance, he generates impressive burst off his plant foot to dart away from trouble and break tackles (led the FBS with 89 forced missed tackles in 2021). He must improve as a pass catcher and pass protector, but his instinctive ability to set up his cuts and create yardage will translate to the pro game.
41. Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati (6-3, 207)
A tall, lean passer, Ridder moves with light feet and is comfortable making throws on the move. His release gets a tad long and his accuracy needs to be more consistent, but Ridder has enjoyed a lot of success on the football field because of his confidence and willingness to use the entire field. He will compete for starting reps early in his career.
42. Darian Kinnard, OG, Kentucky (6-5, 324)
Kinnard looks to impose his will early and manhandle everything in his path to create movement at the point of attack. He has the quickness to square half-man rushers, but he relies more on his upper body than lower body to get the job done, which leads to balance issues. Overall, Kinnard’s NFL ceiling will hinge on his ability to refine his sloppy tendencies, but he has the physical tools and bully mentality to be a dominant, scheme-diverse run blocker, either at tackle or guard.
43. Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn (5-11, 189)
Once the third-lowest-ranked recruit in Auburn’s 2018 class, McCreary worked his way up the depth chart and proved himself as one of the best defensive players in the SEC the past two seasons. He will be eliminated from several draft boards because his short arms (29 1/4 inches), but he plays sticky with the awareness and willingness to mix things up with receivers. McCreary has inside/outside versatility and should compete for a starting role early in his NFL career.
44. Quay Walker, LB, Georgia (6-4, 245)
Although he doesn’t have the résumé of a playmaker as a one-year starter, Walker aces the eye test with his combination of size, length and athleticism. He has outstanding mirroring skills vs. the run and uses his long arms to punch himself off blocks or lasso ball carriers out of his reach. With his traits and budding instincts, Walker’s best football should be ahead of him.
45. Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut (6-4, 326)
A big-bodied athlete with strong legs and arms, Jones is quick off the ball and powerful through his hips to be disruptive vs. both the pass and the run. He uses quickness and forceful hand moves to get his nose in the gap, but he needs to harness his momentum and consistently use his secondary moves to shoot through. Overall, Jones’ pass rush technique is still a work in progress, but he creates problems for interior blockers with his athletic movements and explosive upper body to stack, shed and toss.
46. Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming (6-2, 241)
Averaging 11.3 tackles per game over the past two seasons, Muma’s college film is catnip for NFL teams. He can run, fill up the stat sheet and boasts top-notch intangibles. I want to see him be more physical as a take-on player, but he is a high-energy tackling machine with the play speed and awareness to always be around the football.
47. Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama (6-1, 195)
After bypassing scholarship offers from Power 5 programs to stay close to home, Tolbert became the most prolific receiver in South Alabama history, including the first player in school history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season (and he did it twice). Although he doesn’t have elite top-end speed, Tolbert has fluid footwork and uses slight hesitation in his route breaks so he can mash the gas and create pockets of separation.
48. Christian Harris, LB, Alabama (6-2, 232)
Harris is a do-everything breed of linebacker with the multidimensional skill set to drop in coverage, get downhill vs. the run or make plays in the backfield as a blitzer. He has a good feel for play direction but needs to pull the trigger a half-second quicker and better leverage his gaps as a take-on player. Overall, Harris must become more consistent diagnosing the action, but he is a versatile athlete with the play speed and intangibles to grow into a dependable NFL starter.
49. Jamaree Salyer, OG, Georgia (6-3, 320)
A college left tackle who is ideally suited inside at guard, Salyer is very efficient in his set-up and plays with outstanding body control, balance and core strength to stay centered through contact. Although he tends to get narrow with his steps and has some bad habits, he understands depth, angles, and how to effectively respond with his hands. He projects as a plug-and-play NFL guard while offering position versatility in a pinch.
50. John Metchie III, WR, Alabama (5-11, 196)
Metchie, who lived on three different continents before his seventh birthday, adopted a fierce work ethic and devotion to his craft, which is evident on film. He has only average size and speed but is an instinctive route runner who understands how to manipulate coverage and be a quarterback’s best friend. As long as he makes a full recovery from his ACL tear, he should be a quality No. 2 receiver in the NFL.
